Pilot signal transmitting method, base station, mobile station and cellular system to which the method is applied

ABSTRACT

In a cell-specific pilot signal transmitting method for use in a mobile communication system that comprises a base station and a wireless mobile station in the cell of a wireless communication area formed by the base station and that can mix and then transmit unicast data and broadcast/multicast data as downstream data from the base station to the mobile station, the difference between the start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the base station transmits the unicast data and the start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in the next subframe is equal to the difference between the start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the base station transmits the broadcast/multicast data and the start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in the next subframe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of international applicationPCT/JP2007/000298, filed on Mar. 26, 2007, now pending, the contents ofwhich are herein wholly incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pilot signal transmitting method, anda base station, mobile station and cellular system to which this methodis applied.

BACKGROUND

In a cellular system, a mobile station normally performs a cell searchprocessing to seek a cell which connects a radio link.

The cell search is executed using a synchronization channel (SCH)included in a radio frame in a downstream link. In addition to thesynchronization channel, a cell-specific pilot channel and a broadcastchannel (BCH) may also be used (Non-patent Document 1: 3GPP TR 25. 814V7.0.0). An example of the cell search will be described with referenceto the drawings.

FIG. 1 indicates an example of a configuration of a radio frametransmitted from a base station transmission apparatus.

As FIG. 1 indicates, the radio frame is constructed by various channelsmultiplexed in a two-dimensional direction of time and frequency. In theexample in FIG. 1, the radio frame has 10 sub-frames, SF1 to SF10, inthe time direction, and each sub-frame SF consists of two slots: thefirst half slot and the latter half slot.

In each slot, a resource uniquely determined by a symbol position (time)and a sub-carrier position (frequency) is called a “resource element”.

The various channels multiplexed in a slot includes a primarysynchronization channel (P-SCH), a secondary synchronization channel(S-SCH) and a pilot signal channel (P-CH).

The primary synchronization channel (P-SCH) has a common pattern for allthe cells, and is time-multiplexed in the end symbols of the first halfslot #0 of the first sub-frame SF1 and of the first half slot #10 of thesixth sub-frame SF6 respectively.

The secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH) has a pattern, which isspecific to a cell ID group, and which is a group of cell IDs assignedto each cell in advance. The secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH)is time-multiplexed in the second symbol from the respective ends of thefirst half slot #0 of the first sub-frame SF1 and of the first half slot#10 of the sixth sub-frame SF6.

The pilot signal channel (P-CH) also has a cell-specific scramble codewhich is information specific to a cell, and is time-multiplexed in thefirst symbol and the fifth symbol of each slot (#0, #1, #2, . . . ).

The cell ID assigned to each cell and the cell-specific scramble codecorrespond one-to-one, so the mobile station can determine a cell ID ofa cell in which the mobile station is located by specifying thecell-specific scramble code.

For the cell-specific scramble code, a method of using a sequence of abase station-specific pseudo-random number sequence multiplied by aphase rotation sequence, which is orthogonal between sectors within asame base station, or a method of using a generalized chirp likesequence for the pseudo-random number sequence, for example, may beused.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cell search processing procedure performed in amobile station. When the radio format depicted in FIG. 1 is receivedfrom a base station, the mobile station detects the correlation with areplica of a time signal of the primary synchronization channel (P-SCH),which is a known pattern, as a processing in the first step, and decidesa timing indicating the maximum correlation value, for example, as thesub-frame timing (step S1).

As the second step, fast Fourier transform (FFT) processing is performedat the timing detected in the first step, so that the received radioformat is transformed into a frequency domain signal, and the secondarysynchronization channel (S-SCH) is extracted from the frequency domainsignal. Then correlation of the extracted secondary synchronizationchannel (S-SCH) and each candidate secondary synchronization channelsequence replica is determined, and a candidate secondarysynchronization channel sequence having a maximum correlation value, forexample, is decided as a detected secondary synchronization channelsequence. A cell ID group is determined by the detected secondarysynchronization channel (step S2).

As the third step, fast Fourier transform (FFT) processing is performedat the timing detected in the first step so that the signal istransformed into a frequency domain signal, and the pilot signal channel(P-CH) is extracted from the transferred frequency domain. Then theextracted pilot signal channel (P-CH) is correlated with a scramble codereplica corresponding to each candidate cell ID included in the cell IDgroup detected in the second step, and a cell ID corresponding to acandidate scramble code indicating a maximum correlation value, forexample, is decided as a detected cell ID (step S3). By this, a cell inwhich the mobile station is located may be specified.

In the case of 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project),specifications of the multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) areunder consideration, aiming at standardizing the next generationportable telephone communication.

For example, MBMS data is time-multiplexed with the unicast data insub-frame units. The Non-patent Document 1 describes a method forimproving the reception quality by using a guard interval, which islonger than the guard interval used for unicast data, transmitting asame data from a plurality of cells at a same timing using a samefrequency, and combining received signals at a mobile station side.

This is called a “single frequency network”. In this case, a samecell-common pilot signal among cells is transmitted for demodulating thesame MBMS data transmitted from a plurality of cells.

The Non-patent Document 2 describes that the control signal for aunicast is multiplexed with a sub-frame allocated to MBMS data(hereafter called MBMS sub-frame), and a cell-specific pilot signalhaving a different pattern in each cell for unicast is multiplexed withthe MBMS sub-frame for demodulating the control signal for unicast andmeasuring CQI.

A configuration of a pilot signal of an MBMS sub-frame is also describedin Non-patent Document 3. According to this configuration, acell-specific pilot signal for unicast is multiplexed only with a firstsymbol of an MBMS sub-frame.

In the case of time-multiplexing an MBMS sub-frame, as mentioned above,sub-frames having different guard interval lengths are time-multiplexed.In an initial cell search which is executed when power of the mobilestation is turned ON, a problem occurs in the above mentioned third stepof a cell search, since information on the guard interval length of thereceive sub-frame is not available.

This problem is described in detail in Non-patent Document 4. One meansfor solving this problem is to improve a method for attaching a guardinterval of MBMS sub-frames, as described in the Non-patent Document 4.Another method is using, as indicated in non-patent Document 5, onlypilot signals in a sub-frame in which a synchronization channel has beenmultiplexed in the initial cell search.

-   Non-patent Document 1: 3GPP TR 25. 814 V 7.0.0-   Non-patent Document 2: 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1, R1-060372, “Multiplexing of    Unicast Pilot and Control Channels in E-MBMS for E-UTRA Downlink”,    Texas Instruments-   Non-patent Document 3: 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1, R1-070383, “Reference    Signals for Mixed Carrier MBMS”, Nokia-   Non-patent Document 4: 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1, R1-060563, “Channel Design    and Long CP Sub-frame Structure for Initial Cell Search”, Fujitsu-   Non-patent Document 5: 3GPP TSG RAN WG1, R1-063304, “Three-step Cell    Search Method for E-UTRA”, NTT DoCoMo, Institute for Infocomm    Research, Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, Toshiba Corporation.

If MBMS sub-frames are multiplexed in a radio frame, a number ofresource elements of cell-specific pilot signals in one radio framedecreases, compared with a case of assigning only unicast sub-frames tothe radio frame (this relationship may be reversed in some cases).

The number of resource elements of cell-specific pilot signals in oneradio frame also depends on the number of MBMS sub-frames that aremultiplexed. For example, if a cycle of scramble codes of cell-specificpilot signals is one radio frame, then the phase of the scramble code ateach transmission timing of the cell-specific pilot signal changes bymultiplexing the MBMS sub-frames.

FIG. 3 illustrates a case of allocating all the sub-frames of a radioframe to unicast (case 1), and a case of allocating the sub-frames #1and #4 to MBMS (case 2) as examples.

In FIG. 3, the column “phase of cell-specific scramble code” is based onthe assumption that the cell-specific scramble code is a cell-specificpilot signal, and resource elements allocated to the cell-specific pilotsignal are listed from one at the lower frequency side, and areindicated by a phase of the cell-specific scramble code allocated to theresource element at the lowest frequency side at each transmissiontiming of the cell-specific pilot signal.

Np denotes a number of resource elements allocated to the cell-specificpilot signal in each symbol of the cell-specific pilot signal.

In case 1, where all the sub-frames are allocated to unicast, the phaseshift of the cell-specific scramble code does not occur.

In case 2, on the other hand, the sub-frames #1 and #4 are allocated toMBMS, so a phase shift of the cell-specific scramble code occurs.

As the Non-patent Document 5 indicates, when correlation is determinedusing the cell-specific pilot signals in the sub-frames #0 and #5 inwhich the synchronization channel is multiplexed, if the phase shift ofcell-specific scramble codes has occurred, it is inevitable to performblind detection since the phases of cell-specific pilot signals insub-frame #5 are unknown, therefore the processing volume increases anddetection probability deteriorates.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the present invention tosimplify correlation detection in a mobile station. It is another objectof the present invention to control the change amount of a transmissionstart phase of a pilot signal to a predetermined value among (sub)frames.

It is still another object to provide a pilot signal transmitting methodto perform correlation processing when unicast data and MBMS sub-framesare multiplexed in radio frames, causing no phase shift of cell-specificscramble codes at each timing of a cell-specific pilot signal symbol,and therefore to implement appropriate cell search processing withoutincreasing in scale or complicating the configuration of the mobilestation, along with a base station, a mobile station and a cellularstation to which this method is applied.

In order to attain the above objects, this invention is characterized inthat a transmitting method used in a mobile communication system a basestation are used. In other words, in the present invention, acell-specific pilot signal transmitting method used in a mobilecommunication system, which has a base station and a mobile station thatperforms radio communication with the base station in a cell of a radiocommunication area formed by the base station, and which mixes andtransmits unicast data and broadcast/multicast data as downstream datafrom the base station to the mobile station, wherein a differencebetween a start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in asub-frame in which the base station has transmitted the unicast data anda start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a nextsub-frame is equal to a difference between a start phase of acell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a sub-frame in which the basestation transmitted the broadcast/multicast data and a start phase of acell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a next sub-frame.

Further, a base station according to the present invention that forms aradio communication area for communicating with a mobile station in amobile communication system that mixes and transmits unicast data andbroadcast/multicast data, includes a phase control unit which controlsto equalize a difference between a start phase of a cell-specific pilotsignal transmitted in a sub-frame in which the base station hastransmitted said unicast data and a start phase of a cell-specific pilotsignal to be transmitted in a next sub-frame and a difference between astart phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a sub-framein which the base station has transmitted the broadcast/multicast dataand a start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal to be transmitted inthe next sub-frame.

According to the present invention having the above characteristics, ina system which mixes and transmits unicast data and MBMS data asdownstream data, correlation processing is performed at each timing of acell-specific pilot signal symbol causing no phase shift ofcell-specific scramble codes, even if a number of resource elementsallocated to a cell-specific pilot signal in a radio frame changesdepending on a number of MBMS sub-frames which are allocated to theradio frame.

Therefore appropriate cell search processing is implemented withoutincreasing in scale or complicating the configuration of the mobilestation, and the mobile station can be simplified and characteristicsthereof during cell search processing can be improved, therefore thepresent invention will be extremely useful in the mobile communicationfield.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example of a configuration of a radio frame transmittedfrom a base station transmission apparatus;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cell search processing procedure in a mobilestation;

FIG. 3 illustrates a case of allocating all the sub-frames of a radioframe to unicast and a case of allocating the sub-frames to MBMS asexamples;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a configuration of the key portionsof a base station transmission apparatus according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is an example of a configuration of a radio frame, including anMBMS sub-frame, depicted by a two-dimensional diagram of time andfrequency;

FIG. 6 is an example where the phase control unit controls phase ofcell-specific scramble code as the same in cell specific pilot signalsymbols;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting a configuration of the key portionsof a mobile station in an OFDM communication system;

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting the second embodiment;

FIG. 9 illustrates the phases of cell-specific pilot signals in eachfrequency band according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 10 illustrates a configuration example of a radio frame accordingto the third embodiment; and

FIG. 11 is another example of a radio frame according to the thirdembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described withreference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]

FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a configuration of the key portionsof a base station transmission apparatus according to the presentinvention.

The base station transmission apparatus illustrated in FIG. 4 includes adata selection unit 1, a cell-specific pilot signal channel sequencestorage unit 2, a cell common pilot signal sequence storage unit 3, apilot signal selection unit 4, phase control unit 5, a primarysynchronization channel storage unit 6, a secondary synchronizationchannel storage unit 7, a channel multiplexing unit 8, a serial/parallelconversion processing unit 9, a IFFT processing unit 10, a guardinterval (GI) insertion unit 11, a radio processing unit 12, and atransmission antenna 13.

The data selection unit 1 selects unicast data A or MBMS data Baccording to scheduling, and sends one sub-frame of data to the channelmultiplexing unit 8. If MBMS data B is selected by the data selectionunit 1, an instruction of phase control is output to the phase controlunit 5.

The pilot signal selection unit 4 changes a selection method forselecting a cell-specific pilot signal channel sequence AA orcell-common pilot signal channel sequence AB according to the type oftransmission data of the sub-frame, and reads pilot signals from acorresponding storage unit 2 or 3. If the data type is MBMS, the pilotsignal selection unit 4 reads one MBMS sub-frame of cell-specific pilotsignals N_(s) _(—) _(m) and one MBMS sub-frame of cell-common pilotsignals N_(common) from the cell-specific pilot signal channel sequencestorage unit 2 and cell-common pilot signal channel sequence storagechannel sequence storage unit 3 respectively. If the data type isunicast data, one unicast sub-frame of cell-specific pilot signals N_(s)_(—) _(u), are read.

In this case, current phases of the cell-specific pilot signal channelsequence storage unit 2 and cell-common pilot signal channel sequencestorage unit 3 are advanced by the amount of the phase which was read.

If the phase control is instructed, the phase control unit 5 advancesthe current phase of the cell-specific pilot signal channel sequencestorage unit 2 by the amount of (phase amount corresponding to N_(s)_(—) _(u))−(phase amount corresponding to N_(s) _(—) _(m)).

In other words, phase control is performed so that the differencebetween the start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in asub-frame in which the base station transmitted the unicast data and thestart phase of the cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in the nextsub-frame is equal to the difference between the start phase of acell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a sub-frame in which the basestation transmitted the broadcast/multicast data and the start phase ofa cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in the next sub-frame.

In other words, in a pilot signal (e.g. cell-specific pilot signal)transmitting method in a mobile communication system that has a basestation and a mobile station which performs radio communication with thebase station in a cell of a radio communication area formed by the basestation, in the case when the difference between the transmission startphase of the pilot signal to be transmitted and a transmission end phaseis different between a first unit transmission period (e.g. sub-frame inwhich the base station transmits unicast data) and a second unittransmission period (e.g. sub-frame in which the base station transmitsMBMS data), the base station controls the difference between thetransmission start phase of the pilot signal in the first unittransmission period and the transmission start phase of the pilot signalin the second unit transmission period to be a predetermined differencewhich is greater than the difference between the transmission startphase and the transmission end phase (in the above example, phase isadvances by (phase amount corresponding to N_(s) _(—) _(u))−(phaseamount corresponding to N_(s) _(—) _(m))).

The channel multiplexing unit 8 multiplexes each channel signal(modulation data) of various channels (e.g. data channel, pilot signalchannel, synchronization channel) to be transmitted to the mobilestation UE (User Equipment), and the serial/parallel conversionprocessing unit 9 (may be abbreviated to S/P conversion unit hereinbelow) performs serial/parallel conversion for the signal multiplexed bythe channel multiplexing unit 8 (Nc number of modulation data) andpositions each converted data in each sub-carrier (mapping).

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a configuration of a radio frame,including an MBMS sub-frame, depicted by a two-dimensional diagram oftime and frequency. In this example, one radio frame (RF) consists of 10sub-frames (SF), and one sub-frame consists of two slots (SL).

One slot includes seven symbols (SB) in the case of a unicast sub-frame,and includes six symbols in the case of an MBMS sub-frame 100 since theguard interval is long.

A cell-specific pilot signal AA is multiplexed in the first symbol a andthe fifth symbol b of each slot of a unicast sub-frame at a sixsub-carrier interval. The position of the fifth symbol b in thefrequency direction is shifted by three sub-carriers from the positionof the first symbol a in the frequency direction.

In the case of the MBMS sub-frame 100, on the other hand, acell-specific pilot signal AA is multiplexed only in a first symbol c inthe first half slot at a six sub-carrier interval.

A cell-common pilot signal AB is positioned in the second symbol d andthe fifth symbol e of each slot of the MBMS sub-frame 100 at a twosub-carrier interval. The position of the fifth symbol in the frequencydirection is shifted by one sub-carrier from the position of the secondsymbol in the frequency direction.

A cell-specific scramble code to be transmitted as a cell-specific pilotsignal channel AA, however, is controlled by the phase control unit 5 sothat the start phase difference of a cell-specific pilot signal betweeneach sub-frame becomes a predetermined amount. FIG. 6 illustrates anexample.

In FIG. 6, the first sub-frame SF (#1) and the third sub-frame (#3) ofthe radio frame are allocated to unicast, and the second sub-frame (#2)is allocated to MBMS (hereafter the Xth sub-frame is denoted assub-frame (#X)).

Np is a number of resource elements allocated to a cell-specific pilotsignal channel in each cell-specific pilot signal symbol. In the examplein FIG. 6, a number of cell-specific pilot signal symbols of one unicastsub-frame is 4, so N_(s) _(—) _(u)=4 Np, and a number of cell-specificpilot signal symbols of one MBMS sub-frame is 1, so N_(s) _(—) _(u)=Np.

Cell-specific scramble codes are positioned, from the low frequencyside, to the resource elements allocated to the cell-specific pilotsignal of the cell-specific pilot signal symbol which is transmittedfirst in the radio frame.

In the sub-frame (#2) allocated to MBMS, a cell-specific pilot signal ismultiplexed only in the first symbol of the first half slot. Thereforephase of a cell-specific scramble code, which is allocated to the lowestfrequency side of the next cell-specific pilot signal, is advanced by 3Np by the phase control unit 5, and becomes P (8 NP).

Hereafter, each time an MBMS sub-frame is multiplexed, the phase of thecell-specific scramble code is advanced in the same manner. Because ofthis, the phase of the first cell-specific pilot signal symbol of eachsub-frame is determined whether or not an MBMS sub-frame is present inthe radio frame.

Referring back to FIG. 4, the IFFT processing unit 10 IFFT-processes themodulated data positioned in each sub-carrier, in Nc units, whichcorresponds to the number of sub-carriers, and converts it into timedomain signals.

The guard interval insertion unit 11 inserts a guard interval in thetime domain signals.

The radio processing unit 12 performs a required radio processing, suchas frequency-converting the signals after the guard interval is insertedinto predetermined radio signals (up-convert), and transmits the radiosignals to a propagation path via the transmission antenna 13.

Now the configuration and operation of a mobile station corresponding tothe above mentioned base station will be described.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting a configuration of the key portionsof a mobile station in an OFDM communication system. The mobile stationillustrated in FIG. 7 comprises, for example, a receive antenna unit 20,a radio processing unit 21, a first step processing unit 200, a secondstep processing unit 210, a third step processing unit 220, a guardinterval removal unit 22 and an FFT processing unit 23.

The first step processing unit 200 has a first synchronization channelreplica signal storage unit 201, a correlation processing unit 202, atime averaging unit 203 and a sub-frame timing detection unit 204. Thesecond step processing unit 210 has a secondary synchronization channelextraction unit 211, a correlation processing unit 212, a candidatesecondary synchronization code storage unit 213, a time averaging unit214, and a secondary synchronization code radio frame timing detectionunit 215. The third step processing unit 230 has a cell-specific pilotsignal channel extraction unit 231, a candidate cell-specific scramblecode storage unit 232, a phase control unit 233, a correlationprocessing unit 234, a time averaging unit 235 and a cell-specificscramble code detection unit 236.

Now the receive processing of the mobile station having thisconfiguration will be described.

The receive antenna unit 20 receives a radio signal from the abovementioned base station BS, and the radio processing unit 21 performs therequired radio receive processing, such as down convert processing, forthe radio signals received by the receive antenna unit 20.

As a first step processing of cell search by the first step processingunit 200, a sub-frame timing is synchronously detected based on thecorrelation of the receive signal from the radio processing unit 21 anda replica signal of the primary synchronization channel (P-SCH), whichis a known pattern (FIG. 2: step S1).

For this, in the first step processing unit 200, the primarysynchronization channel replica signal storage unit 201 has storedreplica signals of the primary synchronization channel in advance, andthe correlation processing unit 202 determines correlation of thereceive signal and the replica signal stored in the primarysynchronization channel replica signal storage unit 201.

This correlation processing result by the correlation processing unit202 is time-averaged by the time averaging unit 203, and is input to thesub-frame timing detection unit 204. The sub-frame timing detection unit204 detects the sub-frame timing of the receive signal based on thecorrelation processing result by the correlation processing unit 202.For example, the timing at which the correlation is maximum can bedetected as the sub-frame timing.

As the second step processing of cell search (FIG. 2: step S2), thesecond step processing unit 210 performs fast Fourier transform (FFT)processing based on the sub-frame timing detected in the first stepprocessing unit 200, as mentioned above, extracts the secondarysynchronization channel, and detects the secondary synchronization codeand frame timing.

For this, the guard interval removal unit 22 removes the guard intervalsinserted in the receive signals, which are radio-processed by thereceive processing unit 21 based on the sub-frame timing detected by thesub-frame timing detection unit 204 of the first step processing unit200.

The FFT processing unit 23 converts the receive signals in the timedomain into signals in the frequency domain by performing FFT processingon valid signals after removing the guard intervals using apredetermined time block (at least the time of valid symbol length),that is, using an FFT window.

The secondary synchronization channel extraction unit 210 extractsresource elements in which the secondary synchronization channel ismultiplexed, from the frequency domain signal after the above mentionedFFT processing by the FFT processing unit 23. On the other hand,candidate secondary synchronization codes to be used for the correlationprocessing in the correlation processing unit 212 are stored in thesecondary synchronization code storage unit 213 in advance. Thecorrelation processing unit 212 determines correlation of the secondarysynchronization channel extracted by the secondary synchronizationchannel extraction unit 211 and the candidate secondary synchronizationcodes stored in the candidate secondary synchronization code storageunit 213.

The output of the correlation processing unit 212 is averaged by thetime averaging unit 214, and the secondary synchronization code radioframe timing detection unit 215 detects a secondary synchronization codeand a radio frame timing based on the correlation processing result inthe correlation processing unit 212. For example, a candidate secondarysynchronization code having the maximum correlation can be decided asthe detected secondary synchronization code. By this, a cell group isdetermined.

The third step processing unit 220 performs cell-specific pilot signaldetection processing (FIG. 2: step S3), and the receive signal after FFTprocessing is input to the cell-specific pilot signal channel extractionunit 221. The cell-specific pilot signal channel extraction unit 221extracts a resource element in which a cell-specific pilot signal ismultiplexed from the frequency domain signals after the FFT processingby the FFT processing unit 23.

The candidate cell-specific scramble code storage unit 223 has storedreplicas of candidate cell-specific scramble codes used for thecorrelation processing by correlation processing unit 224.

The correlation processing unit 224 determines correlation of acell-specific pilot signal extracted by the cell-specific pilot signalchannel extraction unit 221 and a candidate cell-specific scramble codereplica stored in the candidate cell-specific scramble code storage unit222.

The output of the correlation processing unit 224 is time-averaged bythe time averaging unit 225, and the cell-specific scramble codedetection unit 226 detects a cell-specific scramble code based on thecorrelation processing result in the correlation processing unit 224.For example, a candidate cell-specific scramble code having the maximumcorrelation can be decided as the detected cell-specific scramble code.By this, a cell in which the mobile station is located is specified as aresult of cell search.

[Second Embodiment]

The second embodiment is an example when the first embodiment is appliedto a system which can transmit downstream signals using one of aplurality of frequency bands. The configuration of the base station andconfiguration of the mobile system are basically the same as theconfigurations illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, which are describedabove.

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting the second embodiment, and illustratescase I having 1200 sub-carriers, case II having 600 sub-carriers, caseIII having 300 sub-carriers, case IV having 144 sub-carriers, and case Vhaving 72 sub-carriers, as the frequency bands.

A characteristic of the second embodiment is that a synchronizationchannel SCH is transmitted with a bandwidth W, which is equal to theminimum frequency band of 72 sub-carriers at the center, for all thecases of frequency bands I to V having a plurality of sub-carriers.

FIG. 9 illustrates the phases of cell-specific pilot signals in eachfrequency band according to the second embodiment. In the case of anMBMS sub-frame being multiplexed as well, the phase of the cell-specificpilot signal at each transmission timing is adjusted by the phasecontrol unit 5 (see FIG. 4), as illustrated in FIG. 9.

Regardless which frequency band is used, the phase of the cell-specificpilot signal is always the same in band W of the center 72 sub-carriers.

In the initial cell search, a frequency band of the receive signals isunknown, therefore cell search is performed by receiving only signalshaving bandwidth W, which is equal to the minimum frequency band. In theradio processing unit 21, signals having a bandwidth which is equal tothe minimum frequency band are received using an analog filter. Thisreception may be performed after the radio processing unit 21 using adigital filter. Or the reception may be performed both in and after theradio processing unit 21.

The first step S1 and second step S2 of the cell search described in thefirst embodiment are performed to detect a sub-frame timing, cell IDgroup and radio frame timing. As mentioned above, in the synchronizationchannel SCH the signals are transmitted, in any frequency band, at thecenter of the frequency band, having a bandwidth W, which is equal tothe minimum frequency band, so even if the frequency band is unknown,the first step S1 and second step S2 of the cell search can be executedusing the synchronization channel SCH.

Then the third step S3 of the cell search described in the firstembodiment is performed, and cell-specific scramble codes are detected.In this case, the phase at each transmission timing of the cell-specificpilot signal does not depend on which frequency band is used, and doesnot depend on whether or not an MBMS sub-frame is multiplexed, so themobile station can detect the cell-specific scramble codes withoutknowing which frequency band is used, and without causing a phase shiftof a cell-specific pilot signal by multiplexing an MBMS sub-frame.

[Third Embodiment]

The third embodiment is also applied based on the first embodiment, andthe base station transmission apparatus and mobile station have the sameconfiguration as the configuration described in the first embodiment.

The third embodiment is a case when a cell-specific pilot signal in anMBMS sub-frame is transmitted only in a limited part of the bands.

This configuration is applied to a case when a unicast control signal istransmitted in an MBMS sub-frame only in a limited part of the bands.

FIG. 10 illustrates a configuration example of a radio frame accordingto the third embodiment. In other words, in the example illustrated inFIG. 10, the sub-frames #0 and #2 are unicast sub-frames, and thesub-frame #1 is an MBMS sub-frame. In the MBMS sub-frame, acell-specific pilot signal is multiplexed only in the four sub-carriersat the center of the beginning of the sub-frame.

The phase control unit 5 advances the 19th phase of sub-frame #0 by 4,and decides the phase of the first cell-specific pilot signal as 23 inthe sub-frame #1. Then the phase control unit 5 advances the 26th phaseof the sub-frame #1 by 14, and decides the phase of the firstcell-specific pilot signal as 40 in the sub-frame #2. By this, thephases of the cell-specific pilot signals can be continuous in thesub-frames #0, #1 and #2.

FIG. 11 is another example of a radio frame according to the thirdembodiment. The phase of the first cell-specific pilot signal of thesub-frame #1 is decided as 20, so as to be continuous with the phases ofthe cell-specific pilot signals in the sub-frame #0. In order to makethe sub-frame #1 continue to #2, the phase is controlled so that the23^(rd) phase of the cell-specific pilot signals of the sub-frame #1 isadvanced by 17.

1. A cell-specific pilot signal transmitting method used in a mobilecommunication system, which has a base station and a mobile station thatperforms radio communication with the base station in a cell of a radiocommunication area formed by the base station, and which mixes,allocates unicast data and broadcast/multicast data to subframes in aradio frame, and transmits the radio frame as downstream data from thebase station to the mobile station, the method comprising: by the basestation, multiplexing cell-specific pilot signals corresponding to theunicast data to a first subframe to which the unicast data is allocated,while multiplexing cell-specific pilot signals to a second subframe towhich the broadcast/multicast data is allocated, where the number of thecell-specific pilot signals to be allocated to the second subframe isless than the number of the cell-specific pilot signals to be allocatedto the first subframe; and setting a difference between a start phase ofa cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the basestation has transmitted the unicast data in the first subframe and astart phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a nextsubframe to be equal to a difference between a start phase of acell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the basestation transmitted the broadcast/multicast data in the second subframeand a start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a nextsubframe, wherein the difference between the start phase of thecell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the basestation has transmitted the unicast data in the first subframe and thestart phase of the cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframein which the base station has transmitted the broadcast/multicast datain the second subframe is controlled to be a predetermined difference.2. The cell-specific pilot signal transmission method according to claim1, further comprising: by the base station, setting a transmission startposition in a next subframe of a cell-specific pilot signal to betransmitted in the next subframe of a subframe, in which the basestation has transmitted the unicast data, to be equal to a transmissionstart position in a next subframe of a cell-specific pilot signal to betransmitted in the next subframe of a subframe in which the base stationhas transmitted the broadcast/multicast data.
 3. A base station thatforms a radio communication area for communicating with a mobile stationin a mobile communication system that mixes and transmits allocatesunicast data and broadcast/multicast data to subframes in a radio frameand transmits the radio frame, the base station comprising: amultiplexer to multiplex cell-specific pilot signals corresponding tothe unicast data to a first subframe to which the unicast data isallocated, and to multiplex cell-specific pilot signals to a secondsubframe to which the broadcast/multicast data is allocated, where thenumber of the cell-specific pilot signals to be allocated to the secondsubframe is less than the number of the cell-specific pilot signals tobe allocated to the first subframe; and a phase control unit to controlfor setting a difference between a start phase of a cell-specific pilotsignal transmitted in a subframe in which the base station hastransmitted the unicast data the first subframe and a start phase of acell-specific pilot signal to be transmitted in a next subframe to beequal to a difference between a start phase of a cell-specific pilotsignal transmitted in a subframe in which the base station hastransmitted the broadcast/multicast data the second subframe and a startphase of a cell-specific pilot signal to be transmitted in the nextsubframe, wherein the difference between the start phase of thecell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the basestation has transmitted the unicast data in the first subframe and thestart phase of the cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframein which the base station has transmitted the broadcast/multicast datain the second subframe is controlled to be a predetermined difference.4. A mobile station that communicates with a base station in a mobilecommunication system transmitting subframes to which unicast data andbroadcast/multicast data are allocated, the mobile station comprising: areceive unit to receive a cell-specific pilot signal controlled by thebase station so that a difference between a start phase of acell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a first subframe in which thebase station transmitted the unicast data and a start phase of acell-specific pilot signal to be transmitted in a next subframe and adifference between a start phase of a cell-specific pilot signaltransmitted in a second subframe in which the base station transmittedthe broadcast/multicast data and a start phase of a cell-specific pilotsignal to be transmitted in a next subframe are a same predeterminedamount, wherein the difference between the start phase of thecell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the basestation has transmitted the unicast data in the first subframe and thestart phase of the cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframein which the base station has transmitted the broadcast/multicast datain the second subframe is controlled to be a predetermined difference,wherein the number of the cell-specific pilot signals to be allocated tothe second subframe is less than the number of the cell-specific pilotsignals to be allocated to the first subframe.
 5. A mobile communicationsystem including a base station and a mobile station, in which the basestation transmits subframes to which unicast data andbroadcast/multicast data are allocated to the mobile station, whereinthe base station comprises: a multiplexer to multiplex cell-specificpilot signals corresponding to the unicast data to a first subframe towhich the unicast data is allocated, and to multiplex cell-specificpilot signals to a second subframe to which the broadcast/multicast datais allocated, where the number of the cell-specific pilot signals to beallocated to the second subframe is less than the number of thecell-specific pilot signals to be allocated to the first subframe; and aphase control unit to control for setting a difference between a startphase of a cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in whichthe base station transmitted the unicast data the first subframe and astart phase of a cell-specific pilot signal to be transmitted in a nextsubframe to be equal to a difference between a start phase of acell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the basestation transmitted the broadcast/multicast data the second subframe anda start phase of a cell-specific pilot signal to be transmitted in anext subframe, wherein the difference between the start phase of thecell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the basestation has transmitted the unicast data in the first subframe and thestart phase of the cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframein which the base station has transmitted the broadcast/multicast datain the second subframe is controlled to be a predetermined difference,and wherein the mobile station comprises: a receive unit to receive thecell-specific pilot signal transmitted from the base station.
 6. Themobile communication system according to claim 5, wherein in thesubframe, different numbers of sub-carriers are multiplexed using any ofa plurality of frequency bands, and the phase control unit in the basestation controls the phase so that a band corresponding to asynchronization channel in the narrowest frequency band, out of theplurality of frequency bands, matches the center of each of theplurality of frequency bands.
 7. The mobile communication systemaccording to claim 5, wherein a cell-specific pilot signal in a subframeto which the broadcast/multicast data is allocated is transmitted onlyin a limited part of the bands, and the phase control unit isconstructed so as to advance a phase of a cell-specific pilot signal inthe next sub-frame by the amount of phase shift from the limited part ofthe bands.
 8. A mobile communication system transmitting subframes towhich unicast data and broadcast/multicast data are allocated,comprising: a base station; and a mobile station, wherein the basestation includes: a multiplexer to multiplex cell-specific pilot signalscorresponding to the unicast data to a first subframe to which theunicast data is allocated, and to multiplex cell-specific pilot signalsto a second subframe to which the broadcast/multicast data is allocated,where the number of the cell-specific pilot signals to be allocated tothe second subframe is less than the number of the cell-specific pilotsignals to be allocated to the first subframe; and a phase control unitto control for setting a difference between an initial value for acell-specific pilot signal transmitted in the first subframe and aninitial value for a cell-specific pilot signal to be transmitted in anext subframe to be equal to a difference between an initial value for acell-specific pilot signal transmitted in the second subframe and aninitial value for a cell-specific pilot signal to be transmitted in anext subframe, wherein the difference between the initial value of thecell-specific pilot signal transmitted in a subframe in which the basestation has transmitted the unicast data in the first subframe and theinitial value of the cell-specific pilot signal transmitted in asubframe in which the base station has transmitted thebroadcast/multicast data in the second subframe is controlled to be apredetermined difference, and wherein the mobile station includes: areceive unit to receive the cell-specific pilot signal transmitted fromthe base station.